Chapter: 11th Chemistry : Haloalkanes and Haloarenes

Haloalkanes and Haloarenes: Introduction

Halogen substituted organic compounds are widely spread in nature and find application in our day to day life as well as in industry.

Haloalkanes
and Haloarenes

INTRODUCTION

In
the previous unit we learnt about the chemistry of hydrocarbons. In this unit
us learn about organic compounds containing halogens. When one or more hydrogen
atoms of aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons are replaced by the corresponding
number of halogens like fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine, the resultant
compounds are called either haloalkanes or halo arenes. They serve as starting
materials for many organic synthesis.

Halogen
substituted organic compounds are widely spread in nature and find application
in our day to day life as well as in industry. Certain compounds like
chloramphenicol produced by soil microbes are used in the treatment of typhoid;
chloroquine is used in the treatment of malaria, halothane is used as an
anesthetic, and halogenated solvents like trichloroethylene are used for
cleaning electronic equipments.